New Delhi : The Rajya Sabha will take up the mines and minerals bill and coal mines bill on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Thursday after repeated adjournments of the house following stand-off between the opposition and treasury benches.
Naidu said the house will take up mines and minerals bill in the morning followed by the coal bill.
The stand-off occurred during discussion on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation Amendment Bill) 2015 as the Communist Party of India-Marxist members demanded that it should be sent back to the select committee.
Opposition members said views of states should also be taken on board and the bill should be sent back to select committee.
The stand-off led to several adjournments with the Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien finally adjourning the house for the day a little before 9 p.m.
Before the house was adjourned, Naidu said there had been a broad understanding that the mines and minerals bill be taken up Friday morning followed by the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill 2015.
He said private members business, which is usually taken up on Friday, could be deferred to another day.
Both the bills, which were sent to the select committees, were in the Thursday’s list of business of Rajya Sabha.
The government is keen to pass the two bills as they have to replace ordinances brought during the inter-session period.
It is also looking at the possibility of extending the session by a few days if the two bills are not passed by parliament on Friday.
The first half of budget session is supposed to end on Friday with the two houses meeting again April 20 after a month long break.
The government is also looking at the possibility of proroguing at least one house to re-promulgate the land bill ordinance.
The government is not likely to bring the land bill in the Rajya Sabha in the first half of budget session. The bill has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.